by Damon Suede
SPACKLE (+): amend, beautify, close, coat, cobble, conceal, correct, cover, daub, disguise, enhance, fill, fix, hide, improve, mask, mend, mortar, patch, plaster, rectify, reform, remedy, renew, renovate, repair, restore, resurface, revise, roughcast, seal, smear, spread, surface (≠ blemish, break, chip, crack, damage, disfigure, expose, harm, harshen, injure, mar, mark, peel, scar, scrape, scuff, spoil, strip)
SPANK (→): bang, beat, belt, cane, chastise, discipline, flagellate, flog, hide, hurt, lash, lather, lick, paddle, pain, penalize, punish, slap, slipper, slug, smack, strap, strike, tan, thrash, thwack, torment, wallop, whack, whip (≠ absolve, acquit, baby, blame, coddle, defend, dismiss, excuse, exonerate, humor, indulge, mollify, -neglect, pamper, pardon, praise, protect, reward, shield, spare, spoil, vindicate)
SPARE (→): afford, allow, assist, award, bankroll, bequeath, bestow, comp, consign, contribute, deliver, devote, disburse, dispense, dole, donate, dower, endow, expend, extend, forego, fund, furnish, give, grant, help, impart, lend, offer, outbid, outlay, overpay, overspend, pay, pledge, present, provide, relinquish, render, salt, send, serve, submit, supply, surrender, tender, tithe, underwrite, volunteer, yield (≠ beg, check, conceal, control, crave, curb, debit, deduct, defund, disinherit, entreat, hide, implore, importune, panhandle, petition, plead, -refuse, request, require, reserve, retain, seek, starve, steal, stiff, stint, sue, take, target, withhold)
SPARE (→): allocate, allot, assign, budget, conserve, cut, deal, divide, earmark, economize, famish, hoard, husband, maintain, malnourish, manage, measure, mete, nurse, parcel, partition, pinch, portion, preserve, ration, reserve, retrench, save, scant, scrape, scrimp, segment, short, shortchange, skimp, slice, split, starve, stash, stint, tuck, withhold (≠ blow, circulate, disseminate, dissipate, dole, fritter, heap, lavish, misspend, pour, rain, share, shower, spend, squander, take, waste)
SPARE (+): absolve, acquit, condone, discharge, dispense, exculpate, excuse, exempt, exonerate, forgive, free, leave, liberate, -overlook, pardon, pity, release, relieve, remit, reprieve, rescue, save, spring, vindicate, withhold (≠ abuse, accuse, anguish, arrest, bully, confine, damage, discipline, fault, finger, frame, harass, harm, imprison, incriminate, indict, injure, intimidate, lynch, maltreat, muscle, oppress, persecute, punish, railroad, sandbag, torment, traumatize, victimize, wrong)
SPARE (+): aid, assist, conserve, cover, defend, deliver, guard, harbor, keep, maintain, preserve, protect, recover, recycle, redeem, safeguard, salvage, save, screen, secure, shelter, shield, support, sustain, uphold, ward (≠ attack, betray, bully, compromise, decry, demean, demonize, endanger, hazard, imperil, intimidate, jeopardize, mock, molest, pillory, ridicule, risk, target, threaten, torment)
SPARK (→): accelerate, activate, actuate, animate, arouse, brainstorm, catalyze, charge, crank, discharge, drive, electrify, energize, excite, facilitate, fire, fuel, generate, ignite, incite, initiate, instigate, jump-start, kick-start, kindle, launch, midwife, move, power, precipitate, prod, prompt, provoke, push, quicken, reactivate, recharge, release, run, speed, spur, start, stimulate, supercharge, switch, trigger, trip, vitalize (≠ -abort, arrest, brake, cease, check, cripple, -cut, deactivate, decelerate, douse, end, finish, freeze, -halt, hamper, hinder, hobble, impair, impede, inactivate, incapacitate, inhibit, jam, kill, paralyze, repress, slow, stagnate, stall, stick, stop, stunt, suffocate, suppress, terminate, throttle)
SPARK (→): abet, activate, anger, animate, annoy, arouse, bother, drive, encourage, energize, enrage, exasperate, excite, fan, ferment, fire, foment, gall, galvanize, ignite, impassion, incite, incur, induce, inflame, inspire, instigate, irritate, jeer, kindle, madden, motivate, move, needle, pique, provoke, quicken, rabble-rouse, raise, revitalize, rouse, stimulate, stir, taunt, tease, trigger, troll, upset, vex, vitalize (≠ appease, buffer, calm, coddle, douse, dull, hush, lull, mellow, mitigate, moderate, mollify, pacify, placate, sedate, smother, soothe, stifle, strangle, subdue, tranquilize)
SPATTER (→): band, bar, bedaub, bedraggle, bespatter, besprinkle, blemish, blot, blotch, dapple, daub, diffuse, dirty, dot, dye, fleck, freckle, intersperse, marble, mark, mottle, pepper, scatter, shower, soil, speck, speckle, splash, splatter, splotch, spot, spray, sprinkle, stain, stipple, streak, stripe, stud, taint (≠ blanch, bleach, clean, cleanse, erase, fade, launder, miss, mop, purify, remove, rinse, sponge, wash, wet, whiten, wipe)
SPAWN (+): advance, beget, begin, brainstorm, breed, brew, bring, catalyze, coin, conceive, concoct, contrive, create, cultivate, decide, design, determine, develop, devise, effect, effectuate, enact, encourage, engender, envision, establish, father, formulate, forward, foster, found, further, generate, hatch, improvise, inaugurate, incubate, induce, initiate, innovate, institute, introduce, invent, invoke, issue, launch, machinate, make, mother, nourish, nurture, originate, parent, patent, pioneer, plan, plot, produce, project, promote, prompt, render, reproduce, scheme, script, set, sire, start, yield (≠ abolish, -abort, arrest, attack, check, control, crush, curb, dampen, demolish, destroy, doom, eradicate, exterminate, extinguish, -forbid, impede, inhibit, kill, limit, liquidate, mutate, predetermine, -prevent, quash, quell, quench, repress, restrain, restrict, slaughter, smother, snuff, squash, squelch, stifle, stop, subdue, suppress, weed)
SPECIFY (+): adjure, advertise, announce, arrange, articulate, ascertain, assign, bid, blueprint, broach, broadcast, charge, choose, cite, clarify, coerce, command, compel, conduct, constrain, control, declare, decree, define, delineate, describe, designate, destine, detail, determine, dictate, differentiate, direct, distinguish, elucidate, enjoin, enumerate, establish, explain, explicate, finger, fix, flag, force, govern, individualize, instruct, intend, interject, interpolate, interpose, introduce, itemize, label, lead, list, manage, mark, mention, name, nominate, note, notice, obligate, oblige, ordain, order, package, particularize, peg, pinpoint, prescribe, prioritize, proclaim, profile, pronounce, publicize, publish, quote, require, select, set, settle, signal, signify, sound, specialize, state, stipulate, tab, tag, telegraph, tell, touch (≠ anonymize, confuse, contradict, debate, -deny, destroy, discourage, disprove, dispute, -disregard, dissuade, forget, gainsay, generalize, -halt, -ignore, mislabel, -neglect, oppose, -overlook, refute, -repudiate, retract, suggest, unsettle, waive)
SPELLBIND (←): absorb, allure, amaze, amuse, arouse, arrest, attract, bait, bedazzle, beguile, bemuse, bespell, bewilder, bewitch, bind, captivate, capture, charm, conjure, curse, delight, enamor, enchant, energize, engage, engross, enrapture, ensnare, ensorcel, entangle, entertain, enthrall, entrance, excite, fascinate, galvanize, glamour, grip, hex, hoodoo, hook, hypnotize, ignite, inspire, intrigue, involve, kindle, lure, mesmerize, monopolize, obsess, occupy, paralyze, petrify, possess, preoccupy, razzle-dazzle, seduce, spark, stimulate, stir, strike, tangle, tantalize, thrill, transfix, transport, trap, voodoo, weave, whammy, witch, woo, wow (≠ anger, annoy, appall, -balk, bore, bother, bug, demoralize, demotivate, deplete, depress, desensitize, disappoint, discourage, disenchant, disgust, dispirit, drain, enrage, exhaust, fatigue, frustrate, infuriate, irk, irritate, knacker, madden, nag, nauseate, needle, nettle, nitpick, numb, paralyze, rankle, repel, rile, roil, sadden, sicken, stifle, tire, trouble, underwhelm, vex, weary, worry) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
SPEND (→): allocate, apply, award, bankroll, bestow, blow, cannibalize, compensate, concentrate, confer, consume, contribute, cripple, debilitate, defray, deplete, devour, disburse, dispense, dissipate, dole, donate, drain, drop, employ, empty, exhaust, expend, finance, finish, fritter, fund, give, invest, lard, lavish, liquidate, lose, maintain, meet, misspend, outbid, outlay, overpay, overspend, pay, redeem, refund, reimburse, remunerate, repay, scatter, settle, slather, sponsor, squander, support, tender, treat, underwrite, use, waste (≠ accept, accumulate, aggregate, amass, bank, beggar, budget, collect, conserve, defund, deposit, earn, gather, get, glean, heap, hoard, inherit, keep, maintain, preserve, receive, recycle, -refuse, reserve, salvage, save, scavenge, scrimp, squirrel, starve, stash, steal, stiff, stint, stockpile,
stow, sustain, take, tuck, withhold)
SPICE (+): animate, appetize, brighten, dress, drizzle, dulcify, energize, enhance, enliven, entice, flavor, garnish, ginger, honey, imbue, improve, infuse, invigorate, lace, liven, magnify, marinate, maximize, pepper, prepare, richen, rouse, salt, saturate, sauce, season, sour, stimulate, stir, sugar, sweeten, syrup, vitalize, zest (≠ blunt, bore, contaminate, dilute, dull, muddle, muddy, nauseate, poison, pollute, repel, repulse, ruin, simplify, spoil, sully, taint, water)
SPIKE (→): bayonet, broach, core, cut, disembowel, drill, drive, enter, fill, gaff, gash, gimlet, gore, gut, harpoon, hurt, impale, injure, insert, invade, jab, kebab, knife, lance, peck, penetrate, perforate, pick, pierce, pike, pink, poke, poniard, prick, probe, prong, punch, puncture, ram, ream, riddle, rupture, shank, shiv, skewer, slice, spear, spindle, spit, split, stab, stake, stick, thrust, transfix, wound (≠ armor, bandage, block, buffer, close, cover, defend, deflect, draw, eject, expel, extract, guard, heal, help, mend, miss, parry, patch, plaster, pluck, plug, prize, pull, remove, restore, seal, secure, sheathe, shield, tug, withdraw, wrench, yank)
SPIKE (+): add, amp, blend, boost, brace, contaminate, dose, drizzle, drug, flavor, fortify, ginger, imbue, infuse, jazz, juice, lace, marinate, mix, overdose, poison, strengthen (≠ deaden, decontaminate, distill, drain, dull, enfeeble, extract, filter, leach, leech, purge, purify, rarefy, remove, strain, weaken)
SPIN (←): circle, circulate, coil, crank, dial, orbit, pivot, reel, revolve, roll, rotate, screw, swing, swirl, swivel, turn, twiddle, twirl, twist, unscrew, wheel, whirl, wind (≠ block, constrain, fix, freeze, grip, hold, immobilize, lock, nail, pin, restrain, stop, straighten)
SPLICE (+): ally, assemble, associate, bind, braid, chain, cluster, compound, congregate, conjoin, connect, constellate, convene, couple, entwine, fasten, fuse, gather, graft, hitch, hook, hybridize, integrate, interlace, intertwine, interweave, join, knit, link, marry, mate, meet, mesh, plait, raddle, recombine, reconnect, rejoin, reunify, reunite, stitch, synthesize, tie, unify, unite, weave, wed, yoke (≠ break, cut, detach, disband, disconnect, disjoin, disjoint, disperse, disunite, divide, divorce, isolate, part, resolve, scatter, seclude, section, separate, sever, split, sunder, unbraid, uncouple, unfasten, unlink, unsplice, unyoke)
SPLINTER (/): atomize, break, burst, chip, cleave, crack, crumble, dice, disintegrate, explode, fracture, fragment, hash, mince, pulverize, rive, shatter, shiver, smash, split (≠ affix, blend, combine, fuse, glue, lump, melt, merge, repair, restore, unite)
SPLIT (+): allocate, allot, apportion, carve, chunk, comminute, dispense, distribute, divide, divvy, dole, dollop, halve, mete, parcel, partition, separate, share, slice (≠ collect, confiscate, consolidate, -deny, deprive, hoard, keep, receive, -refuse, retain, seize, stint, withhold)
SPLIT (/): atomize, bifurcate, bisect, break, burst, chop, cleave, crack, crumb, crumble, cut, decompose, decouple, detach, dichotomize, disassemble, disassociate, disband, disconnect, disengage, disentangle, disintegrate, disjoin, disjoint, dissect, dissolve, disunite, divide, divorce, fissure, fracture, fragment, gouge, hack, halve, incise, insulate, isolate, open, orphan, part, partition, polarize, pull, pulverize, quarter, rend, resolve, rip, rive, rupture, seclude, segment, segregate, separate, sequester, sever, shatter, shiver, slash, slit, snap, splinter, subdivide, sunder, tear, uncouple, unlink, unravel, untie, unyoke, vivisect (≠ accumulate, affix, assemble, associate, attach, bind, blend, cement, churn, cinch, close, combine, connect, couple, fasten, fuse, glue, hybridize, integrate, join, knit, link, mend, mingle, mix, mortar, network, reintegrate, reunite, scramble, splice, stick, stockpile, synthesize, unify, unite, unmarry, weld)
SPOIL (→): accommodate, baby, caress, cherish, coddle, corrupt, cosset, cotton, cradle, cuddle, debauch, favor, featherbed, fondle, gratify, humor, indulge, infantilize, mollycoddle, nurse, nurture, oblige, overindulge, overprotect, pamper, pet, pity, protect, smother, spoon-feed, treat (≠ abuse, control, crucify, deprive, discipline, disfavor, harass, harm, hurt, -ignore, injure, mistreat, molest, -neglect, oppress, outrage, -overlook, persecute, punish, respect, restrain, spank, torment, torture, victimize, violate, wrong)
SPOIL (/): bastardize, blemish, blight, botch, break, bugger, bungle, butcher, contaminate, contort, cook, corrupt, crack, damage, debase, deface, defile, deform, demolish, desecrate, desolate, despoil, destroy, devastate, disfigure, disgrace, distort, efface, flaw, foul, half-ass, harm, harshen, hurt, impair, infect, infest, injure, louse, maim, mangle, mar, maul, misdiagnose, murder, mutilate, obliterate, pillage, plunder, poison, pollute, predetermine, prejudice, queer, ravage, raze, ruin, sack, scotch, shatter, shiver, smash, spike, squash, stale, suborn, taint, tarnish, topple, trash, upset, vitiate, waste, wreck (≠ adorn, advantage, assemble, beautify, benefit, better, bless, build, clean, cleanse, create, cure, decontaminate, decorate, defend, develop, doctor, elevate, embellish, enhance, ennoble, enrich, fix, flavor, grace, guard, heal, help, improve, injure, marinate, mend, optimize, ornament, overhaul, patch, perfect, pickle, preserve, prize, protect, purify, rarefy, rectify, refine, reform, refresh, rehabilitate, remedy, renovate, repair, restore, rethink, revamp, revise, revolutionize, richen, season, spice, tinsel, tool, trim)
SPONGE (←): appropriate, beg, beggar, bilk, borrow, bum, cadge, cheat, chisel, claim, exploit, fleece, grub, hustle, importune, inherit, inveigle, leech, mooch, obtain, panhandle, reap, reclaim, recoup, recover, request, salvage, scavenge, schnorr, score, scrounge, solicit, steal, take, tap, touch, use, weasel, wheedle (≠ bankroll, bestow, capitalize, contribute, deliver, dower, endow, finance, float, fund, furnish, garner, offer, provide, refund, reimburse, repay, save, spare, sponsor, subsidize, supply, tender, underwrite, volunteer, withhold)
SPONSOR (→): advance, advocate, approve, authorize, back, bankroll, capitalize, certify, champion, commend, countersign, endorse, ensure, finance, fund, guarantee, invest, patronize, promise, promote, ratify, recommend, rubber-stamp, subsidize, support, underwrite, validate (≠ beggar, blackball, blacklist, -boycott, -cold-shoulder, defund, -deny, disinherit, -exclude, oppose, -ostracize, picket, protest, -refuse, -reject, -shun, -snub, withhold)
SPOOK (/): affright, agitate, alarm, appall, awe, blackjack, blackmail, brutalize, bully, chill, daunt, demoralize, discomfort, discompose, disconcert, disgust, dismay, dispirit, disquiet, distract, distress, disturb, floor, frighten, funk, haunt, horrify, intimidate, jolt, menace, offend, outrage, panic, perturb, petrify, rattle, repel, revolt, scandalize, scare, shake, shock, sicken, startle, terrify, terrorize, threaten, undo, unhinge, unman, unnerve, unsettle, unstring, upset, worry (≠ amuse, assuage, assure, bolster, brace, buoy, buttress, calm, comfort, console, delight, embolden, encourage, gratify, hearten, inspire, lull, mellow, mitigate, moderate, mollify, pacify, placate, please, reassure, soothe, steady, steel, strengthen, support, thrill, toughen, uplift, woo, wow)
SPOT (→): band, bar, bespatter, blemish, blot, blotch, dapple, dot, dye, fleck, freckle, intersperse, marble, mark, mottle, pepper, set, soil, spatter, speck, speckle, splotch, sprinkle, stain, stipple, streak, stripe, stud, taint (≠ blanch, bleach, clean, cleanse, erase, fade, launder, miss, remove, rinse, wash, whiten)
SPOT (←): catch, clock, consider, descry, detect, discern, distinguish, espy, examine, eye, heed, identify, inspect, mark, mind, note, notice, observe, perceive, recognize, regard, remark, scan, scope, scrutinize, see, sight, spy, study, survey, view, watch, witness (≠ -blank, blind, blindfold, bury, -bypass, camouflage, conceal, cover, disguise, -disregard, hide, -ignore, lose, mask, mislay, misplace, miss, mystify, -neglect, -overlook, pass, perplex, -sidestep)
SPOTLIGHT (→): accent, accentuate, advertise, affirm, amplify, assert, belabor, boost, concentrate, emphasize, feature, floodlight, focus, highlight, hype, identify, illuminate, limelight, overemphasize, overplay, pimp, pinpoint, plug, presell, press, prioritize, promote, publicize, punctuate, shill, stress, underline (≠ belittle, bury, conceal, cover, curtain, deemphasize, -discount, disparage, -disregard, forget, hide, lessen, lose, minimize,
obscure, screen, underemphasize, understate)
SPREAD (→): accelerate, accumulate, advance, appreciate, arrange, broaden, bulk, cover, deepen, develop, dilate, distend, double, enlarge, escalate, exacerbate, expand, extend, fan, foster, gain, grow, heighten, increase, inflate, intensify, lay, multiply, open, order, proliferate, puff, redouble, set, stretch, swell, treble, triple, unfold, unfurl, unroll, widen (≠ close, contract, crease, decrease, diminish, fold, lessen, remove, retract, shrink, withdraw, wrinkle)
SPREAD (→): anoint, apply, bedaub, besmear, blanket, butter, carpet, coat, cover, dab, daub, douse, grease, lard, lavish, lay, layer, mantle, moisturize, muddy, oil, overlay, paint, pigment, plaster, pomade, roughcast, slather, smear, smudge, soil, spackle, stain, sully, surface, syrup, tar, wax (≠ abrade, bare, blot, dehydrate, desiccate, dry, excoriate, expose, lather, peel, rinse, scour, scrape, strip, towel, uncover, wash, wet)
SPREAD (→): advertise, broadcast, bulletin, circulate, communicate, conduct, contaminate, convey, deliver, diffuse, dish, dispense, disperse, disseminate, dissipate, distribute, give, impart, infect, pass, poison, promulgate, propagate, publicize, publish, radiate, rumor, scatter, sow, strew, surrender, telegraph, transfer, transfuse, transmit (≠ catch, cleanse, cloak, conceal, contain, contract, decontaminate, enshroud, hide, isolate, limit, mask, obscure, purify, quarantine, restrict, seclude, secrete, sequester, shroud, sterilize, suppress, veil)